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Clocktowers Storyline
This section contains brainstorming and basic story outlining for a primary story arc. Read at your own risk of spoilers. Major Outlining There exist a number of forces and sides in the story: #Cepheus, Celina, Dareik, Jude, and Seraphilia #The Military of Cerivane #The Council of Ecclesia #The Loyalists/Rebels #Duke's Force Others will appear in later novels #Magacia #Great Families I'm aiming for the story to be mostly character driven, though it can't be completely like OreGairu because of the fantasy setting. Book 1 The first book will serve the purpose of introducing major characters first and the setting of the whole world. It will also serve to introduce the plot spanning every novel. Introducing Jude and Seraphilia Jude escapes from the city guards after a heist, running through the undertown under heavy rain. He resorts to hiding within a boarded tower in the abandoned streets/section of Cerivane, finding Seraphilia locked up in a room filled with books. After a brief introduction, he realizes she has lived there all her short life and has amassed a database of every volume in the vicinity. Promising to return and visit her, he leaves at the break of dawn. Introducing Cepheus Cepheus wakes up in the morning by his father's maid opening his curtains. He is to join his father, Agenor, in a council meeting as he is meant to take over that role as the Kent family heir. Along the way, he runs into Mana, daughter of one of the city guard's captains and a soldier herself. The two momentarily talk about their overbearing fathers before going their own ways. At the meeting, the council discuss the rise in loyalists who wish to reinstate the old royalty. This conversation brings insight to the Mad King's Rebellion. Introducing Celina and Dareik Celina and Dareik return to a small village to claim their reward for eliminating Dusks/the Fell (name pending). Their conversation with the villagers introduces the strange dangerous creatures which wreak havoc among people, raising the notion that they are humankinds natural predator. They return to their small inn where they plan on returning to their home. Freedom Unbound Jude takes over narrative, recalling on all the visits he's given to Sera. He often brings her various foods and occasional gifts, one of which is a wooden bird carving. One day, as he visits, he finds his normal route blocked off. After a series of winding and daring travels, Jude finds his way inside. He finds Seraphilia in a near barren room, berift of many books. Sera tells him that her "father" is having her relocated after finding evidence of Jude's visits. He notices the broken wings of the bird on the floor and pockets it. Though Sera does her best to hide her sadness, she falls into tears for the first time in her life, not understanding her emotions. Jude steals Sera away from the prison tower into the free world. Morgan Manor Celina and Dareik finally return home to the Morgan Mansion in Cerivane. The Village Jude wakes up in his small hut in the slums, his home where he's taken Sera. Sera now attends the local school run by ex-Bishop Marlin. Sera makes fast friends with the other slum children. Jude and Marlin talk over tea and beer, where Marlin explains tha Sera is brilliant beyond all comprehension. Jude was always unable to tell since he had never had a proper education. The Autumn Manor Cepheus is sent off by Agenor to visit council member and Farrow Family head Milena Farrow in her home, the Autumn Manor. The manor is in the midst of Everfall Trees, which are eternally red and shedding their leaves. Milena missed the council meeting claiming that she was sick, though Cepheus believes otherwise. They sit down and talk over tea and pastries for a while, about the state of Cerivane, the past, and the future. Milena informs Cepheus about the Arrylist and Verotian, two highly influential alchemic societies in Cerivane. She also tells him more about the royal lineage that used to rule Cerivane, as well as the rumor of a descendent still living in the city. Cepehus realizes that too much time has passed and that he must return home. Duke and Ideals On the way back to his home, Cepheus stops by a bar. In the bar, he is invited to a table of loud men, who berate a quiet lone man. They discuss the rebels and mock them for their loyalty to the old king, who went mad when a cult killed his only son. He declared magic a crime and began a genocide of all mages, striking a civil war. Though Cepheus understands the loyalty the rebels show to their previous retainers, the group of drunkards laugh at Cepheus and accuse him of treason towards the state, unaware of his status as the heir to the Kent Family due to not having matured into his carmine hair yet. As the people begin to move on him, the lone man named Duke declares he shares his ideals and assists him in cleaning up the rabble. Upon speaking further, though their ideals are the same, their methods for achieving them differ drastically. The two both believe people have the right to believe what they wish and to fight for their ideals. However, Cepheus believes that a world where people have different beliefs can exist in peace, while Duke believes the strongest will destroy the rest and take dominance. The two part on negative terms. This sets up Duke as Cepheus' rival. The 8th Family The government reveals that Duke is the lone surviving member of a thought-to-be extinct Great Family and that he's creating waves. Though Book 2 Along the Journey On their way to Magacia, Celina and Dareik come across a young girl and a man being attacked by bandits. Celina manages to sense a strong magical presence in the vicinity, but after their intervention, it fades immediately. Enrollment Cepheus and Celina become enrolled in Magacia's academy temporarily. Celina, who has a natural talent due to her lineage, is invited to a special class. Classmates Cepheus meets one of the students, a prefect named Lilia. She befriends him immediately, and has influence in the Academy's workings as one of their best students. Festival Cepheus goes to the Arcane Festival with Lilia. Meanwhile, Celina is invited by Ellis to climb to the peak of the Academy's island. Exile Book 3 In this novel, the tension is building up. Much of the development is spent on Emilia and her forces, as well as gathering allies and making plans for the war against Cerivane. Meeting the Princess Allies Together they set off into the Deepwoods to meet with with the barbarians for allies. Captured, they are taken to their leader, Grishram. Capture Cepheus is finally captured by the Civil Guard and taken into holding. He reveals his information to the council, but is rebuffed by secret supporters of his enemies. Calling out his crimes, Cepheus is locked away. Escape The state has now declared Cepheus a criminal. With help from Mana, Jaynee, Raika, Jude, and Celina, Cepheus flees the state. While the soldier triple is scouting, Silas intercepts them along the way and attempts to capture Cepheus, but he is held off by Jude. However, Silas' alert for help causes others to come for them, and Cepheus is hit with a curse by the Verotian head. About to be captured, they are saved by the timely arrival of the rebels. Coma Cepheus is succumbing to the curse and his condition worsens. As the guard begins to patrol the city more thoroughly in preparation for the uprising, the group hide out in the Autumn Manor. Celina stays by his bedside holding his hand, pouring her magic into him to help fight it off. Jude leaves to track down information in the streets, while Jaynee and Raika continue their rounds as soldiers to keep the state away from the hidden Manor. Cepheus awakes in his own mind, visited by the strange being Raven, who drags his consciousness into the inverted realm where she can bypass time. There, she reveals the alchemic societies' origins and sins, including the creation of Raven and Black Cat. Revelation Silas realizes that he was wrong and flees the council realizing it has been taken over. He tracks the group to the Autumn Manor where Mana intercepts him along the way. She spits at him for betraying Cepheus and pulls her swords on him. Mana asks why they should trust him. Jaynee and Raika return from their rounds to witness the exchange. Silas brings information from the capital, valuable knowledge that could help the group prepare for the worst. Allowing him access to the Manor under a close eye, Mana threatens to cut Silas down herself if he makes one move to hurt Cepheus. Book 4: Finale The plot of this book will focus mainly on the civil war and resolution of the whole tale. The Heir Princess Emilia makes herself known to Old Friends Magacia's forces arrive. After a standoff, they side with Cepheus, fighting off the enemies. The leader reveals herself as Cepheus' friend Lila from the Academy, who is now one of Magacia's Council of Nine. The War Begins The Souls Akin Cepheus and Duke fight, knowing that the victor will have the right ideals. Duke reveals to Cepheus his plan to bring a genuine world, which he understands but rejects. Cepheus wins, but their shared enemies arrive. Duke asks Cepheus whether he truly believes he is right, and Cepheus nods. Duke tosses his Divine Instrument to Cepheus and uses the last of his divinity to hold off the enemies while Cepheus escapes. With that, Duke's Great Family is now extinguished. Quick Summary 145 years ago (23 BE - Before Emending) the alchemic societies were ordered by the king to find a method to defeat mankind's natural predator. In order to defeat them, they performed forgotten rituals on children to give them the powers to defeat them. However, ony 2 survived (Raven and Black Cat). The rituals were pronounced as failures and quickly covered up. Disappointed, the King went to magic in hopes of finding a solution. 122 years ago (00 AE - After Emending) the King of Cerivane began improving relations with Magatia, and alchemy would eventually be forgotten. A large portion of mages then began to move into the city, where magic began to become a part of everyday life. The Arrylist and Verotian societies conspired against the King by killing his first-born son, the prince, and framing the mages in hopes of saving their pride and place. In retaliation, the King broke all relations with mages and ordered the extermination of all magic in the city. What followed was a civil war which ultimately led to the overthrowing of the King and instating the Council of Ecclesia. Out of the 43 members, 13 were from the Thirteen Great Families, mage lineages of great influence. 6 were the military generals. 14 were voted from influential citizens and leaders. 10 were from the Arrylist and Verotian societies, with 5 form each. However, due to the genocide, relations between Magacia and Cerivane had been ruptured a great deal. After a period of time, the Arrylist and Verotian societies wanted more power in the council and connived with the Varus Family and others to eliminate great families. The head of the Verotian society then complied with a mage society in hopes of developing another anti-predator weapon, which came to be the girl Seraphilia. She was born from alchemy and trained with memory magic in order to compile all information ever recorded in her mind. Though she has magic potential of Voice and Vision, her magic had been sealed off in preparation for a conversion ritual which would give her the ability to convert thoughts into reality due to magic. Having uncovered the secret of the Era of Blood, Duke from one of the extinguished families set forward to bring about justice. At the same time, one of the King's descendents Emilia has also discovered this truth. Due to the current influence of the alchemic societies in the city, they are unable to come out and directly announce it, so they attempt other methods. At the time, the council has announced them as "rebels" or "loyalists" to the Mad King. During the first novel, Royalists are gathering allies. Emilia's advisor, Kilik, is secretly in contact with two council members who feed him information from Ecclesia. Duke and Emilia are acquainted to an extent, but have their own goals for fixing the state of things. Duke is gathering a team of powerful and skilled individuals who can help him assassinate targets. Emilia and her supporters are gathering forces to wage another civil war. Raven wishes for revenge against those who converted her to her current state. Black Cat finds his immortality pleasing and has interest in the happenings of the world, though he cares about Raven, the only other child to survive the ritual. Cepheus is a boy whose destiny is to carry on the Kent Family's head. Jude is originally a thief living on the streets of Cerivane, unaffected by most happenings. However, after encountering Seraphilia, he becomes akin to her guardian. Over time, he becomes a foster father to her, but worries about his lack of earnest living and being a bad influence. Seraphilia first leaves her tower prison when Jude steals her away. She is eternally grateful to him for opening the door that allows her to see the world. She is overly attached to him, and considers him the closest person to her. Celina Dareik Jude escapes from the civil guard and finds Seraphilia. He steals her away.